Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports: Balancing Risks, Fairness, and Health - Free Paper

Doping has become a complex and key issue in the sports world that deserves serious consideration. Doping compromises the credibility of performance in sports and makes victories disputable and questionable. Performance drugs should be banned entirely from sports as they come with health risks and the question of fairness. The drugs also teach the youth that doping is acceptable conduct. The use of drugs in sports should be banned as there are more disadvantages than advantages.

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The use of performance drugs causes a deterioration of the individual's health status. For instance, drugs such as steroids used by individuals without prescription harm their health (Loland, 2018). Medical staff in the sports sector should find ways to counter the use of these drugs. They should rather discuss better ways to be followed by the players, leading to an outstanding performance. Without medical supervision, the players work out by themselves; this can pose an increased risk to their health. The associated medical staff should rather be present to specifically administer drugs to the players, which would improve their performance safely. The players' health risks will be reduced by putting more rules for the medical staff concerning performance-enhancing drugs.

The drugs have side effects on both genders, which are considered irreversible (Chwang, 2012 ). Side effects associated with them can be hair loss, severe acne, rupture of the tendons, tendinitis problems, and blood circulation problems (Chwang, 2012 ). The above effects for starters, can further cause mental issues and changes in behavior. Those under steroids suffer cases of aggression and depression. The drugs have a list of other health problems like behavioral change and mind problems (Chwang, 2012 ).

These drugs create room for unfair advantage in sports while giving more benefit to those taking them (Loland, 2018). Some may think of it as a level ground for those without the natural ability to be okay at a particular sporting field such as athletics, but the case is not genuine. Sports such as football and athletics should rely on practice and natural talent. Natural abilities for those born with talent are thus taken away by the unfairness in sports. For instance, the usage of these drugs in athletics makes the athletes gain a level playing ground and be more advantageous. In the future, if the use of drugs in sports is legalized, those without money to purchase them will suffer an unfair disadvantage.

However, performance-enhancing drugs possess advantages for the individuals who use them. These advantages are determined by the type of sport practiced and the sport's requirements; for example, in athletics, these drugs are used by athletes for various benefits. The drugs increase their muscle strength and mass, recovery from injuries, and reduce fatty tissue. Most individuals use them mainly to improve strength, stamina, energy, and speed (Chwang, 2012 ). In conclusion, the use of performance-enhancing drugs should be banned in sports.

For a person to determine whether these drugs should be allowed in sports, all the concerns and risks associated with them should be considered as the general use of these drugs puts the players' health at risk. Doping also interferes with the mental state and the behavior of sportspeople. Advantages such as increased strength, energy, stamina speed, and level ground for the users should also be considered.

References

Chwang, E. (2012). Why athletic doping should be banned. Journal of applied philosophy, 29(1), 33-49. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-5930.2011.00547.x?casa_token=eVXSpdZ5FD4AAAAA:DBZVNd2muVnwzsH_-82E3vDSmJGC2E6anyzrEYikSv5TmXLaa_0yFT83ZJPPol7yy5FsrbMRghKQ7EJ3JA

Loland, S. (2018). Performance-enhancing drugs, sport, and the ideal of natural athletic performance. The American journal of bioethics, 18(6), 8-15. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15265161.2018.1459934